(Posted May 24, 2006)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – "It is only with one's heart that one can see clearly. What is essential is invisible to the eye."

Those words of Antoine de Saint-Exupery fuel his classic 1943 novel THE LITTLE PRINCE. They also fuel the charming presentation of his tale by People's Branch Theatre.

Oh, yes, there are things to see on the stage of Belcourt Theatre. But director Denice Hicks has kept adornments to a minimum so that the focus is on the characters and the words they speak. It creates a theatrical lesson children and adults should take to heart.

A pilot (Matthew Carlton) is stranded in the desert when he meets a prince (Tia Shearer) from another planet. The prince relates his adventures on Earth and elsewhere as the pilot struggles to survive. What could have been bleak or hopeless becomes beautiful and life-affirming through Saint-Exupery's words as dramatized by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar.

Hicks shows us Saint-Exupery's illustrations from his book on a screen at stageside but otherwise keeps the playing space largely bare. Stepladders represent the pilot's plane and other objects while we're left to look at Carlton, Shearer and the other members of the ensemble.

And it's a strong ensemble. The experienced Carlton knows to vary the tempo while displaying a poignancy that endears and illuminates his character; Shearer uses simplicity and energy to create wonder and joy. Jon Royal, Erin Whited, Ayla Harrison, Karen Coleman and Hilda Parks supply support that makes this fable engaging and believable.

Hicks paces the show with the ease and grace of ballet (in fact, there's plenty of dance-like movement in this piece which adds an ethereal quality to the work). It's a thing of beauty where actions and words combine to form a story that speaks to the nobility of spirit that exists when we seek it.

THE LITTLE PRINCE shows why People's Branch Theatre deserves to reign for many years. Whether the story is contemporary or classic, PBT makes it come alive as few theaters can.

To See The Show…

THE LITTLE PRINCE closed May 27. For more information, visit www.peoplesbranch.org.